Setting mechanism for watches



(No Model.)

A. FISCHER.

SETTING MECHANISM FOR WATCHES. No. 388,404. Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

Wiinesses. Inventor g UNITED STATES PATENT @rricn.

AUGUST FISCHER, OF WINCHESTER, ILLINOIS.

SETTING MECHANESM FOR WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 3538, 504, dated August28, 1 888,

Application filed March 2, 'lSSS. Serial No. 265,996. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST Frsonnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Finchester, county of Scott, State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in WVatches and Clocks, of whichthe following is afull and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in watches and clocks, but moreespecially to that class in which the hands move independently and arerequired to be set separately.

It consists in providing an attachment by means of which each hand isseparately engaged and moved to its destination and leftin positionwhile the other hand is being moved.

It further consists in providing a transparent dial by which themechanism for setting the hands is engaged, capable of being re volvedin either direction, whereby the said hands may be set separately byrevolving the bezel in opposite directions 5 and it further consists inproviding a locking device by means of which the said transparent dialis retained stationary.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a watch having thisinvention applied. In this view the bezel and figured dial are removedto show the operative parts of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe under side of the bezel, showing the connection between it and theprincipal wheel of the setting mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theunder side of the bezel, showing the connection between it and theprincipal wheel of the setting mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail view insection, showing the relative position of the hands and settingmechanism. Fig. 5 is a detailview ofa1nodification of the invention.Fig. 6 is a detail View of another modification of the invention.

In the drawings, the letter A designates a plate which is placed underthe time-dial and forms apart of the frame of the watch. In the uppersurface of this plate are cut annular grooves B and O and the recessesD. In the former of these grooves is placed the crown spur-wheel B. Thesaid wheel is provided with crown ratchet-teeth set at an angle likeratchetteeth. The said teeth extend high enough to engage theminute-hand of the watch when moving in the direction of the inclinationof the said teeth. About the outer side and at the base of the teeth isa plane surface, substantially as shown, while upon the inner side ofthe said wheel is provided cogs. The outer and plane surface is providedat one point with a recess, B, for the reception of a pin, E, dependingfrom the transparent dial which covers the face of the watch.

Set in the annular groove 0' is a smaller crown spurwheel, O. The saidwheel is provided with teeth extending above the figured dial highenough to engage the hour-hand of the watch when moving in the directionof the inclination of the teeth. The teeth in this wheel are inclined inthe same direction as those of the wheel in contact with the minutehand,and consequently adapted to move the hour-hand with which it is engagedin none other than the direct-ion in which the minutehand is moved. Fromthe outer side of the base of the teeth extend cogs G on a level withthe cogs B on the inner side of the spur wheel B. The teeth in bothwheels are similar. In each they are adapted to engage their assignedhands when moved in the direction of the inclination of the teeth and topass under the same when moving in the opposite direo tion. The teeth donot extend far above the path of the hands, and so do not impede thenatural movement of the hands or displace them while moving back ward,as hereinafter set forth.

Mounted in the recess Dis the cog-wheel D, which is geared with the cogsI) and U" of the wheels B and C, respectively. By means of this wheel Dany motion imparted to the wheel 13 is reversed in being transmitted tothe wheel G. The figured dial is mounted upon the plate A, inside of thewheel 0 and between the wheels B and C, with the teeth of the respectivewheels protruding above the same. Covering this dial and the hands, inordinary constructions, is the bczel glass E. From under the surface ofthe said bezel extends a small pin, E, which is inserted in the recess13 of the wheel B. The bezel is so mounted upon the frame of the watchas to be capable of being rotated in either direction.

The operation of the invention to set the hands separately is asfollows: As shown in the drawings, the inclination of the teeth of both.wheels B and O is in the direction of the movement of the hands upon theface of the watch, and I will describe the action as so constructed. Ifit is desired to set the hourhand first, the bezel E is rotated in thedirection opposite that which the hands travel. This imparts, throughthe wheel D, a reverse movement to the wheel 0, which being in thedirection of the inclination of the teeth of that wheel the sharpenededge of the teeth immediately engage the assigned, or hour, hand, whichit moves to the desired position.

During the operation herein described of setting the hour-hand it willbe observed that the teeth of the wheel B have been moving in thedirection opposite to the movement of the hands, and therefore notengaging the minutehand, but passing under, lifting it gradually overits shoulder in doing so. When it is now desired to set the minutehand,the reverse of the operation herein described is pursued, the wheels Dand C being reversed and the teeth of the latter avoiding contact withthe hour hand, leaving that in the position in which it places it in theformer movement.

\Vhen the bezel E is not employed for setting the hands, as hereindescribed, it is locked in position by the small bolt F. The said boltis provided upon the end next the said bezel with a sharpened edge forresting in the serrations which are provided in the edge of the bezel tohold the bezel in a stationary position, so that the watch may behandled without fear of disadjustment of the hands. The bolt is mountedin the stem H,and is provided upon the side with a small pin, F,extending through a slot, H, in the side of the said stem. This slot isangular in form, allowing the bolt to be raised from engagement of theserrations in the periphery of the bezel E and the pin F in the side ofthe said bolt to be moved into acontinuation of the slot at an angle tothe first part thereof, in which position the bolt F is prevented fromengaging the said bezel. Upon the said bolt is coiled a spring adaptedto throw the same into engagement with the said bezel when thepin F ismoved out of thedivergent portion of the slot H of the stem H. By meansof this attachment the bezel may be freed for operation with ease andspeed,while at the same time it is retained, when not in operation,stationary.

The modifications shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings are mainly inthe means of engaging the hands of the watch to the rings 13 and 0 whenin operation. In the former small hinged pawls I are attached to eachhand directly over their assigned wheels and extending to the side ofthe hands opposite to the line of their movement. In this modificationthe wheels B and O are not provided with the teeth, as hereinbeforedescribed, but with smooth surfaces. The operation of the invention, inso far as the gearing between the wheels B and O and the bezel E areconcerned, is the same as that hereinbefore described. IVhen either ofthe wheels B and G is rotated in the direction of the line of movementof the hands .of the watch, the pawls I operate as a wedge between thesaid wheels and their respective hands to cause the latter to move withthe wheel moving in the direction above stated. In the reverse of thismovement the freed end of the pawl, resting upon the smooth surface ofthe wheels B and O, glides. over the same without affecting the positionor the movement of the hands.

The modification shown in Fig. 6, like that of the former, is providedwith wheels B and 0 having a smooth surface instead of the teeth shownin the other figures.

Mounted upon each of the wheels in this modification is an upright pin,K, extending into the path of the assigned hands of each wheel. This pinis so constructedof light spring metal-that it does not alter theposition on the hands when moving in the direction opposite thatnormally pursued by them; but, by reason of the shoulder K at the rearof the said pin, when it comes in contact with them, moving in thedirection so pursued by them, it engages the hand and moves it to thedesired position.

It is obvious that while I have described in this specification severalforms of the construction of my invention I do not confine myself to anyof them, as the construction may be changed indefinitely withoutaltering the essential features of the same, which are the two wheels Band 0, intermediate gearing be tween the two for moving them in oppositedirections synchronously, and a connection between the hands of thewatch or clock, accordingly as the invention is applied, for engagingthe said hands while the wheels are moving in one and a predetermineddirection only.

What I claim is- 1. In a watch such as described, the combination of thehands of the watch, an attachment for setting the hands independently,adapted to engage each separately when moved in opposite directions, anda bezel adapted to be rotated in both directions for moving the settingattachment, substantially as described.

2. In a watch such as described, the combination of the hands of thewatch, two rings adapted to be moved in both directions and to move thehands in one direction only, and intermediate connections for causingthe said rings to move in opposite directions, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a watch such as described, the combination of the hands of thewatch, two rings provided with cogs upon the opposite edges and adaptedto be moved in both directions and to move the hands in one directiononly, and an interposed cog-wheel the cogs of which are geared with thecogs of the said rings to move them in opposite directionssynchronously, substantially as described.

4. In a watch such as described, the combination of the hands of thewatch, two crown ratchet-wheels provided with cogs upon the oppositeedges and the teeth inclined in the same direction on both wheels andadapted to IIO engage said hands only when moved in the direction of theinclination of the said spurs, and an interposed cog-Wheel geared withsaid Wheels to move them in opposite directions synchronously,substantially as described.

5. In a watch such as described, the combination of the hands of thewatch, two rings provided with cogs upon the opposite edges and adaptedto move in opposite directions, intermediate connections between thesaid hands and rings for causing the hands to be moved by the rings whenmoving in one direction only, an interposed cog-wheel geared with thesaid wheels to move them in opposite directions synchronously, and abezel adapted to be rotated in both directions for moving the saidrings, substantially as described.

6. In a watch such as described, the combination of the hands of thewatch, a setting mechanism for setting the hands separately, a

bezel adapted to be rotatedin both directions for operating the settingmechanism, and a spring locking attachment for retaining the said dialin position,substantially as described.

7. In a watch such as described, the combi nation of the hands of thewatch, a setting mechanism for setting the hands separately, a bezeladapted to be rotated in both directions for operating the settingmechanism and provided with a serrated edge, and a spring-actuated footadapted to set in the said serrations and lock the said dial,substantially as described.

In testimony whereofl havehereunto set my hand this 16th day ofFebruary, A. D. 1888.

AUGUST FISCHER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES XVEIs, CHARLES H. JOHNSON.

